1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to a cleaning device; and, more particularly, to a cleaning device adapted to clean a boat's deployed anchor chain, a rope or line, or similar item.
More specifically, the present invention relates to a cleaning device which is readily attached to, and detachable from, a boat's deployed anchor chain or the like in surrounding relation thereto; and, which can be reciprocated therealong beneath the surface of the water so as to scrub and clean the individual chain links prior to retrieval of the anchor and its anchor chain. To this end, the cleaning device of the present invention includes: i) a generally O-shaped handle having a central through opening for permitting the user to grasp the handle, and at least two smaller through openings adjacent its opposite ends for permitting removable connection to a conventional boat hook or to a nylon retrieval line and a weight; ii) a pair of spaced, laterally projecting, generally cylindrical, coaxial anchor chain guides rigidly secured to respective ones of the opposite ends of the handle, each having a longitudinally extending radial opening formed therein extending in different angular directions from the axis extending therethrough; and iii), a flexible, brush-like, scrubbing medium bonded to the inner cylindrical surfaces of the anchor chain guides and having a plurality of cleaning bristles extending radially inward towards the axis extending through the coaxial anchor chain guides.
In the illustrative form of the invention, the entire assembly is preferably formed of a rigid, light-weight, buoyant material having excellent wear-resistance characteristics such, for example, as polyethylene or polypropylene; and, consistent therewith, the brush-like scrubbing medium preferably comprises a simulated grass-like structure having a flexible plastic backing and a plurality of closely spaced, generally parallel, upstanding plastic bristles. A material that has proven particularly suitable for this purpose is ASTROTURF.RTM. and, more specifically, an ASTROTURF.RTM. product marketed as FLAIR.RTM. doormatting material--ASTROTURF and FLAIR are registered trademarks of Monsanto Company of St. Louis, Mo. Because all of the material employed is buoyant, cleaning devices made therefrom are highly advantageous when used in a marine environment since they will float if inadvertently dropped into the water during attachment to or removal from a boat's deployed anchor chain.
2. Background Art
The problems associated with retrieval of dirty fouled anchor chains is one of long standing and which has been found particularly vexing to boaters. Not only is a dirty fouled anchor chain slippery and difficult to handle manually, but, moreover, the mud, slime, seaweed and other materials tend to fleck off the anchor chain as it is retrieved, fouling the boat's hull, deck, chain locker, etc. requiring time-consuming cleanup procedures.
Because of this long standing problem, it has been proposed in Winsette U.S. Pat. No. 1,950,959 issued in 1934 to use an anchor chain scrubber fabricated from a weighted metal rod or the like to which are attached a pair of circular frames having scrubbing members formed of stiff straws, metal spines or other suitable scrubbing material detachably secured thereto by bolts, screws or the like. The circular frames are provided with longitudinally extending openings rotatively displaced one from the other so as to permit the anchor chain to be inserted therethrough. Since the scrubbing device is fabricated from, at least in substantial part, metal components, and since it is weighted at one end, it tends to sink below the surface of the water when attached to the anchor chain, and it can be pulled upwardly by means of a supporting line, lanyard, or chain so as to impart a reciprocating scrubbing action as the scrubber moves gravitationally downward and is pulled upward along the anchor chain. Unfortunately, however, the Winsette anchor chain scrubber has a number of disadvantages attributable to the metallic materials used in its assembly.. Thus, it is heavier than water and can easily be lost overboard during attempts to attach it to and/or remove it from the anchor chain. Additionally, the bolts and/or screws used to attach the scrubbing members are likely to score the anchor chain and/or the hull of the boat; and, the metal components are subject to corrosion and rust.
More recently, U.S. Pat. No. 4,291,432 issued to Arthur R. Cogswell has disclosed the use of a sinuous brush which can be attached to the hook end of a conventional boat hook with the brush being designed so that it twists around the anchor chain as it is reciprocated therealong by manual movement of the boat hook.
Other prior art patents of miscellaneous interest include: U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,791,330--Haddad [a sponge mounted on a hinged V-shaped support for cleaning boat stays]; 4,543,683--Goldman [a housing having an internal brush adapted to be moved along boat stays]; and, 4,542,555--Lundin [a device having radially collapsible fingers adapted to engage an oil covered rope for stripping the oil therefrom].